VCQ Celebration 2018

It's been a busy month and we've fallen behind on the blog posts, so time to catch up!  Last weekend Sue and Elizabeth participated in VCQ's (Virginia Consortium of Quilters) biannual Celebration retreat at Smith Mountain Lake.  Every 2 years we gather for a a long weekend with 2 days of classes with nationally known teachers.  The 4-H Center at Smith Mountain Lake provides an all-in-one facility with dorms, dining hall and activity center and classrooms.  It's a lovely setting.

Along with classes other activities fill the weekend.  The first afternoon starts with a "meet the teacher" event where teachers have books, patterns and other items for sale as well as being available to meet and greet the attendees.  The after dinner program on the first night always includes a show & tell of projects from past Celebrations that people bring back finished. Here are some from this year.

This is Equal Rights, a pattern by Susan Emory of Swirly Girls that was taught in 2016.  There were quite a few of these in the show & tell which must have been gratifying for Susan as she returned to teach again this year.

These 2 were from a Bonnie Hunter class several Celebrations ago.

These 2 were from Victoria Findlay Wolfe's Double Wedding Ring class in 2016.

Another feature of Celebration is Block Lotto.  The committee chooses a block and makes kits, which members purchase, make the block, and return them to the committee.  For each block you turn in, you get a chance to win a set of blocks, or as was the case this year, one of 3 finished quilts.  In addition to the finished quilts, there were also several sets of blocks.  Sue won one of the sets of blocks, but will have to make the quilt herself.

 

The theme of the retreat was "Circle of Friends: Silver and Gold".  As in the past, there was a challenge based on the theme to make a wall quilt that illustrates the theme.  (Sometimes the challenge is a wearable item instead of a wall quilt.)  The picture above is the first place winner.

Sue's first-day class was called Circle Play with Karla Alexander.  We learned to set in an exact arc, and also to sew improvisational arcs.  Karla was also the speaker for the Friday evening program. Elizabeth was in a class with Susan Emory (Cosmos) which you'll see pictures of in show & tell.

Vendors for the weekend included Kelly Ann's of Warrenton and SewLoveLee from White Stone.  A knife sharpener was also there for one day.

Sue and Elizabeth were both in Karla's Paint Chip class on Saturday.  Above are Sue's completed blocks - it was nice to get all 20 blocks done in one day.  This pattern is in Karla's book Stack, Shuffle and Slide.

Mary Huey was the Saturday lecturer.  Her talk on color emphasized the importance of value, and made some memorable points.  In addition to previously mentioned activities, there was also a silent auction, peddler's table and raffle items.  On Sunday morning we wrap up with a show & tell of the classes from the weekend.

Melinda Bula taught fusible applique - a zinnia on the first day, and a rose on the second day.

These are some the blocks made in Susan Emory's Cosmos class. Her 2nd class was a Happy Place wall hanging.

Augusta Cole taught a strip-piecing class (above) and a mystery class (below).

Laura Blanchard taught this reversible table runner on the first day and "blocks on the move" the 2nd day.

Carolyn Friedlander taught a paper-pieced Envelopes class; her 2nd day class was hand applique.

Mary Huey's first class was a feathered star; pictured here is her 2nd class, a diamond star.

We had a great time and look forward to going back for another retreat in 2020, hopefully with some finished projects for show & tell!